Faith
by Tania Darling
Summary: Begins midmovie, Goes back to Jacks past.
1. chapter one

Chapter One: Tortuga  
  
"More importantly," continued Jack as he led Will through the boisterously crowded streets of Tortuga "it is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep this sweet, proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga, savvy? What do you think?"  
  
Will Turner looked around, at the drunks, the prostitutes and various other unsavoury characters in the dimly lit town.  
  
"It'll linger" he replied unenthusiastically  
  
"I'll tell you mate," Jack went on to say, "If every town in the world were like this one, no man would ever feel unwanted."  
  
A red haired woman, wearing a low cut dress, strode towards the pair.  
  
"Scarlet "exclaimed Jack, stepping towards her cheerfully, the woman slapped him and walked away.  
  
"Not sure I deserved that" he grumbled, as they continued along, another woman, blonde this time, approached Jack.  
  
"Giselle" exclaimed Jack  
  
"Who was she?" demanded Giselle  
  
"What?" said Jack, looking more confused than normal, Giselle slapped him and walked away.  
  
"I may have deserved that." He admitted to Will, as they continued through the streets.  
  
"Ahh, here we go," said Jack, leading Will to the back of an Inn, he picked up a bucket of water and gestured for Will to do the same.  
  
"Jack, why are we walking to a pigpen?"  
  
"We need some who knows the town, mate, and that's 'im there" replied Jack, pointing to a man sleeping in the pen.  
  
"Curse you for breathing, you slack-jawed idiot" exclaimed the man, as Jack threw the contents of the bucket on him.  
  
"Mother's love! Jack !" he said when he realised who it was "You should know better than to wake a man when he's sleeping. 'S bad luck."  
  
"Ah," replied Jack casually "fortunately I know how to counter it. The man who did the waking buys, the man who was sleeping, a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it, while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking.  
  
The man, one Mister Gibbs, stood up and considered this for a moment.  
  
"Aye, that'll about do it" he agreed, he was about to take a step forward when Will who had been quiet up until then tossed the second bucket of water over him.  
  
"Blast! I'm already awake!" he cursed loudly, shaking off the water.  
  
"That was for the smell." Explained will, Gibbs looked at him for a moment then shrugged, the three men made their way to the nearby Tavern.  
  
As they made their way through the crowded room, after collecting drinks, Jack motioned for Will to stand watch.  
  
"Keep a sharp eye." He cautioned the young man as he sat down at a table with Gibbs.  
  
"Now, what's the nature of this venture of yourn?" asked Gibbs, taking a sip of his drink, Jack leaned closer and murmured his reply  
  
"I'm going after the Black Pearl"  
  
Gibbs spluttered and nearly choked, Will glanced back at them, briefly.  
  
"I know where it's going to be, and I'm going to take it." finished Jack  
  
"Jack, it's a fool's errand. Why, you know better than me the tales of the Black Pearl"  
  
"That's why I know what Barbossa is up to. All I need is a crew"  
  
"From what I hear tell of Captain Barbossa, he's not a man to suffer fools, nor strike a bargain with one."  
  
"Well, then I'd say it's a very good thing I'm not a fool then, eh?"  
  
"Prove me wrong," Challenged Gibbs "What makes ye think Barbossa will give up his ship to you?"  
  
"Let's just say it's a matter of leverage, eh?"  
  
Jack tipped his head towards Will, several times, before Gibbs caught on.  
  
"The kid?" he said sceptically.  
  
"That is the child of Bootstrap Bill Turner. His only child, savvy?"  
  
"Is he, now?" replied Gibbs, looking speculatively in Will's direction " 'Leverage', says you. 'I think I feel a change in the wind,' says I. I'll find us a crew. "Gibbs concluded, "There's bound to be some sailors on this rock crazy as you."  
  
"One can only hope" he replied, with a roguish grin, he lifted his tankard for a toast.  
  
"Take what you can..."  
  
"Give nothing back," concluded Gibbs, they drained their drinks and slammed the tankards down on the table.  
  
Will walked over to the table, looking slightly uncomfortable.  
  
"Will, mate, pull up a seat, 'ave a drink" slurred Jack "Gibbs, this is Will, its 'is bonny lass we're about rescuing"  
  
"Have you arranged a crew, Jack?"  
  
"Been an' done, mate, no rush" Jack hailed a barmaid "another round, bring three"  
  
"I really don't think..." protested Will  
  
"Nonsense, we can't go to morning, you need to 'ave some fun, mate."  
  
"Maybe we can find you a girl," added Gibbs  
  
"The only girl I want to find is Miss Swann" he enunciated slowly, looking disgusted with Gibbs.  
  
"Alright, I can take a hint, I'll see you tomorrow at the docks, gents" said Gibbs, finishing his drink and standing up.  
  
"Aye, tomorrow" agreed Jack, returning to his drink.  
  
Will rolled his eyes in surrender, realised that Jack wasn't likely to leave for a while, and took a cautious sip.  
  
"This isn't bad" he remarked, in Jack's general direction.  
  
"Sweet nectar of Life" agreed Jack, waving his arms expansively, as he did so Will caught a flash of silver on his finger. He had noticed it before but not paid much attention.  
  
"Nice ring" he remarked, casually taking another sip of his drink.  
  
"Ring?" said Jack, Will pointed to the ring in question, a silver band with a black gem in it.  
  
"Oh, this ring..."  
  
Jack was silent for a moment, then a look of mingled anticipation and slight panic spread across his face.  
  
"Let's go," he said suddenly, standing up and dragging Will along with him.  
  
"Umm, Jack, where are we going?"  
  
"Got to see a lass I know in town"  
  
"Is she going to slap you?" he asked facetiously, Jack considered the question as seriously as he could.  
  
"She might at that" he concluded, "but I'd probably deserve it" 


	2. Chapter two

Disclaimer: I don't own it! I forgot to disclaim it in chapter one!  
  
Faith  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Jack led Will to a small house, tucked away in one of Tortuga's many back alleys; he knocked on the door and waited.  
  
"Yes?" answered a tall Negro man "ah, Cap'n Sparrow, the Mistress heard you's in town"  
  
"Did she now, well fancy that, can we come in, mate?"  
  
"Yes, Captain, I believe Mistress wanted a word with you"  
  
"I thought she might, come on Will-lad"  
  
Jack walked, or rather stumbled, through the open door into a large sitting room. A number of female voices greeted him, in tones ranging from flirtatious to indifferent. Suddenly Will realised that all of the women were barely dressed. "Jack" he muttered in a choked voice "what is this place?"  
  
"It sure as 'ell ain't a tearoom, lad" replied Jack, sounded amused.  
  
There were footsteps on the bare wood of the staircase.  
  
"Look what the tide washed in, Captain Jack Sparrow"   
  
The sarcastic female voice caused Will to look up, at the top of the stairs stood one of the most attractive women he'd ever seen. Her was the strangest colour, he noticed, almost like a mixture of golden blonde, and orange-red. "Will, this is Mistress Amber, not her real name o'course. Amber this is Will Turner."  
  
"Delighted, I'm sure, Mr Turner" she replied sweetly, she had a soft accent- almost French, thought Will.  
  
"Th-thank you," he stammered  
  
"Oh dear, Jack..."  
  
"That's Captain!"  
  
"... Didn't tell you that he was taking you to visit a brothel?"  
  
The assembled women laughed, until Amber glared at them.  
  
"Must have slipped me mind," muttered Jack, she rolled her eyes at him.  
  
"Perhaps Mr Turner would like to wait for you in the kitchen?"  
  
"Yes," agreed Will, "If you don't mind that is"  
  
"Not at all, dear, unless you'd rather go upstairs with one of the Ladies?"  
  
"N-no thank you, Ma'am"  
  
"Henry, show Mr turner to the kitchen then please"  
  
"Yes Miss" replied the doorman, gesturing to another door.  
  
"This way, Mr Turner" "And leave the door unlocked, we've customers coming in tonight"  
  
"Yes, Ma'am"  
  
"And you girls behave yourselves" she finished firmly, "come on, Captain, lets go upstairs and talk"  
  
"Yes, Ma'am" said Jack, mockingly tipping his hat to her. 


	3. chapter three

disclaimer: don't own anything related to PotC

**Faith**

** Chapter Three**  
  
Amber led Jack to a room at the far end of the house, and pushed him inside.  
  
"You're very quiet tonight, luv" he remarked, as she closed the door and stood in front of it. "Are you angry with me then?"  
  
"Do sit down, Jack" she suggested, smiling at him "or at least stand closer to me"  
  
"Now that I can live with"  
  
Jack walked towards her, tossing his hat and coat over a chair on the way, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.  
  
"Miss me, darling?"  
  
"Always, scoundrel that you are. So tell me "she continued, fiddling with the beads in Jack's hair "what brings you to Tortuga?"  
  
"An opportunity came my way, Bill Turners boy chasing after a lass-pretty lass too, Barbossa's got her you see"  
  
"Yes, I do see- you're going after him"  
  
"Don't say it like that, darling, I've lived through worse than Barbossa after all"  
  
"You've the scars to prove it too," she whispered sadly  
  
"No regrets, darling"  
  
Jack reprimanded her quietly, he knew the pattern of their reunions by now, and she would be angry and sad in turn, but only for a little while.  
  
"No regrets about you" she echoed, amending the statement slightly, and then her tone turned slightly more businesslike  
  
"How's that arm?"  
  
"Healed up fine, love, thanks to you"  
  
"Here let me see" she lifted his shirtsleeve, and traced her finger over the scar.  
  
"How's your movement?"  
  
"I can handle a pistol as well as before, and m' sword arm's not been affected"  
  
"All the important things then" she teased, Jack brushed his hand through her hair.  
  
"Almost all of them, I missed you"  
  
"Surely not?" she exclaimed in mock astonishment, Jack lifted his right hand.  
  
"Still got it"  
  
"The ring"  
  
"That too"  
  
"Jack, I..."  
  
"I'm going after my ship, darling, lets not waste time trying to me out of it, hmm?"  
  
"Alright" she agreed, with a sigh and a smile.  
  
"Besides there are much better ways to spend the evening" 


	4. Chapter four

Disclaimer: don't own anything from PotC etc.  
  
Faith  
  
Chapter Four  
  
A sudden loud crash from downstairs halted Amber and Jack's activity; fortunately both were wearing enough clothing to immediately leave the room. On the way out, Amber tossed Jack a pistol grabbed one for her and headed for the stairs. From the top of the stairs she could see her doorman being beaten by a group of men, judging from the shrieks in the next room, there were more of them out of sight.  
  
"What's the plan, luv?" whispered Jack  
  
"I'll take the back stairs and help the girls, can you take that lot?"  
  
"O' course"  
  
"Right, meet you in the middle"  
  
As Amber slipped away, Jack straightened up and in a loud, drunk voice.  
  
"Pardon me, but can any of you tell me the way to the nearest tavern?"  
  
For one brief moment, all activity in the room stopped, then one of the men shouted:  
  
"Piss off, ya rotten drunk, can ye not see that we're in the middle o' some entertainment?"  
  
"Looksh more like yer beatin' someun' up" slurred Jack, slipping a finger to the trigger of his pistol.  
  
"What's it to ye?"  
  
"Well, it jus' so 'appens that I'm by way o' bein' frien's wi' the lady o' the 'ouse"  
  
"If that be so, you and 'er are next!"  
  
"Thatsh not nice" muttered Jack, before sliding to the floor in an apparent drunken stupor.  
  
The man snorted, and turned back to the group, Jack jumped to his feet and fired. There was a loud bang, the man stiffened...and a red patch began spreading across his back, he fell to the floor.  
  
"You shot 'im" protested one of the others; drawing his sword and racing up the stairs, amid cries of drunken encouragement from the rest of the group.

Meanwhile, Amber had slipped down the back stairs, hiding outside the kitchen door she could see Will Turner fighting with three of the men, and four more had two of her girls cornered.  
  
"Bloody filthy smugglers" she muttered, lifting her pistol she hid it behind her back and pushed open the door.  
  
"Don't get up, girls," she said, apparently not seeing the commotion at first, and then she looked up and screamed.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Stay there, wench" snapped one of the men  
  
"Amber, get out" shouted Will urgently, as he fought off the men, One of the other four abandoned his position guarding the two girls and abruptly shoved Amber to the floor.  
  
"Ye're a pretty one aren't you?" he said, leering at her bared legs, Amber smiled invitingly.  
  
"Now there's, no need to be rough, mister," she said, pushing herself up with the empty hand, "I'm a smart girl, and it's clear who's in charge here at the moment"  
  
She could see, from the corner of her eye, the 'what the hell is she doing' expression on the lads face, very carefully she winked at him, then turned her smile back to the would-be rapist.  
  
"'Urry up an' kill the kid, lads, if all the girls are as pretty and friendly as thisun is, well, we don't want to exhaust ourselves fightin' do we?"  
  
"Oh, please don't kill him" said Amber in a pitiful voice, silently cursing the fact she couldn't quite get the pistol from under her awkwardly positioned body.  
  
"Quiet you"  
  
"Please, sir, he's m'brother, could you not just tie him up?"  
  
"In case y' hadn't noticed he's doin' his best to kill us, now shut yer gob!"  
  
"I had noticed that" she remarked mildly, "I think he's winning"  
  
The man instantly turned his head away, which was the only opening she needed, Amber pulled out the pistol and fired-grabbing the man's sword even as he fell to the floor.  
  
"You bitch!" yelled one of the others, leaping towards her; this left the two women guarded only by two men.  
  
Amber grinned, as she blocked his rush attack, in the corner of the room one of the women grabbed her guard and kissed him.  
  
"Hey, give us a bit o' that" protested the other, pulling the woman away from his companion. A sword fight between the pair began; the forgotten women hastily retreated further into the kitchen.  
  
Amber ended the fight with fast slash across the man's throat.  
  
"Right, who's next?"  
  
Two of the remaining men abandoned their attack on Will and slowly walked towards her, smiling Amber stepped forward to meet the nearest. The second man, intent on watching her and aiding his associate, did not notice the other two women approaching him. One of them, a tall brunette slammed a heavy frying pan against the back of his head, the second-a smaller blonde viciously stabbed him with a kitchen knife.  
  
"Get upstairs with the others" ordered Amber, not taking her eyes away from her opponent. The two women hastily obeyed, while Amber continued battling the intruder, on the other side of the room Will Turner was doing the same.  
  
In the meantime, Jack had been attacked by, and beaten a full half of the other men. Much of this success was owing to the fact the staircase was narrow and they could only attack one at a time.  
  
"Stop where ye are" ordered one of the men, having finally managed to load his pistol. "Or I'll shot ye where ye stand!"


	5. Chapter Five

disclaimer: I don't own anything that is in the movie pirates of the caribbean.

A/N:updating again even though noone's reviewing!

** Faith  
  
Chapter five**  
  
"As charming a proposition as that is, mate, I am afraid I shall 'ave to decline"  
  
A loud gunshot echoed through the room...but Jack was still standing, confused, the remaining men turned to face their cohort.  
  
"Thanks, Darlin'" called Jack, Amber smiled and lowered her pistol  
  
"Anytime, Love...now, which one of you three is going to surrender first?"  
  
"Ye're out numbered, ye crazy whore"  
  
"Three against three" remarked Will Turner, "sounds even to me"  
  
"I don't care for your tone" said Amber, lifting her sword, "and I'm not a whore"  
  
With that, she lunged forward, the man who'd insulted her-thinking she would be an easy mark, moved forward to meet her, leaving one his men to attack Jack and the other Will.  
  
At one point, the three ended up in a back-to-back triangle.  
  
"No exactly the entertainment I had in mind" remarked Jack  
  
"At least it's not your carpet, Love," replied Amber; making a sharp forward thrust with her sword she neatly sliced her attackers throat.  
  
"Show off" muttered Jack, finishing off his opponent with a jab to the chest, then stabbing Will's opponent through the back.  
  
"I had him," protested Will  
  
"Of course you did," said Amber soothingly, "Jack was just helping"  
  
"That's right," said Jack, "come on let's get these bodies of here, so Mistress Amber can get back to business"  
  
"Where's Henry?" asked Amber suddenly, "my doorman"  
  
"I think he got behind the stairs," said Jack, Amber rushed over to the stairs Henry was lying behind them, unconscious.  
  
"Henry" she gasped, running her hands over the blood covered man, "Jack, help me get him to one of the downstairs rooms!"  
  
"Will, give us a hand, mate, Amber you get your medicines an' such"  
  
Amber nodded and hurried upstairs, calling out to the girls on her way. When she came back downstairs, Henry was laid out in one of the bedrooms, she noticed with distracted amusement that Young Will Turner seemed to have his eyes glued to the floor.  
  
"Mr. Turner, get me some warm water from the kitchen please, Jack, you know where I keep the rum-don't take any on the way back please"  
  
Without waiting to see if they obeyed, Amber knelt next to the bed and began gently removing Henry's shirt, the man's eyelids fluttered.  
  
"Tried to keep them out, I did"  
  
"I know you did, luv, no worries though we sorted them out. You just rest now, Jack's bringing some rum for you then I'll fix you up"  
  
"And here it is, as full as when it left the storeroom" said Jack, bowing floridly, and handing it over.  
  
"Thank you, Jack Here now, have a swig of that"  
  
Amber gently held the bottle to Henry's mouth, and tipped a liberal amount of rum down his throat. Gradually, he slid into a deep sleep, just as Will returned with a jug of water.  
  
"Good lad, thank you"  
  
"I'll start cleaning up shall I?" offered Will  
  
"If you don't mind, dear" replied Amber absently, as she washed Henry's wounds, Will nodded and left the room.  
  
"So much for a pleasant evening" remarked Jack, helping her without instruction  
  
"The night is young, and I can get one of the girls to watch Henry," said Amber, smiling at Jack.  
  
"Why, Ma'am, was that an invitation?"  
  
"Undoubtedly, here pass me a clean cloth and the rum would you"  
  
Dousing the cloth in rum, she rubbed it over the myriad cuts and bruises on his chest, arms and face.  
  
"We'll need to turn him, so I can check his back"  
  
"Lucky for the poor bastard that he's asleep" said Jack, carefully lifting him to his side  
  
"The rum should keep him numb until we're done at least" agreed Amber "his backs not too back, I'll just rub it over with some rum so it doesn't go bad"  
  
"Wouldn't wish that on anyone" agreed Jack, "only a miracle I didn't lose my arm, I was told"  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Yes, that is so" Jack echoed her voice mockingly "though my doctor neglected to mention it at the time"  
  
"I'm no doctor, Jack, I just know a few things"  
  
"In fact, the fellow I was discussin' it with didn't believe that a woman had doctored me"  
  
"Most men have that opinion about all women...there that should do it," she concluded, guiding Henry back down onto the bed.  
  
"come on we'd better get your house cleaned up"  
  
"Definitely, and make sure young Mr. Turner's not hurt himself"  
  
"That too" agreed Jack, standing up, and helping Amber to her feet.

They finished dragging the bodies into the alley behind the house.

"I regonise him" remarked Amber, at one point, "beat up one of my girls a while back, must have got drunk and decided to get revenge."

"got what he deserved" said Jack as they reentered the house, their grisly work complete.

"It's nearly dawn" Jack noted, "I have to meet Gibbs at the dock soon"  
  
"Visit me next time you're in town?"

"O' course"

"Don't be a stranger" said Amber, as they entered the empty hallway, Jack pulled her close to him and kissed her deeply.  
  
"Never!"  
  
Several hours later, they met Gibbs, and the new crew on the docks, sailing out of the harbor Jack started thinking about the past... 


End file.
